Surprise Visitors
Two Days. It had been two days since Tyler had just vanished. You essentially hadn't left his room, only getting up for necessities. Given the global situation, all jobs were on hold with paid leave. You didn't care, you wouldn't have gone anyway. The tears were non stop, or at least felt that way. Dehydration had kicked in and dried up any excess fluids trying to leave your body. Your throat ached with the screaming done within the first day and refused to make noise now. A loud growl filled the empty room, reminding you that you also hadn't eaten. You couldn't help it. Every time you tried to take care of your needs, grief overwhelmed you. First it was the aches, then the nausea, and worst of all, the pain in your chest, constantly reminding you of the hole that now took up residence in your heart. It wasn't fair. It should have been me.
Another day passed, aligning with the pattern of the first few. You had gone numb at this point. Working on auto pilot. It was almost worse than the pain. Almost. Three more days flew by and you still couldn't help but spend all your spare time in Tyler's room, just staring at the bed and the dust pile you refused to clean. The rest of the place was spotless, as you had used cleaning as a distraction. It worked. Until it didn't. Like everything else, the distractions always came to an end. The dull ache of grief and nothingness would overwhelm you like a riptide, until you were back on the floor, gasping to catch your breath. You were drowning. It wasn't until late that afternoon, when you were in your normal corner of the boy's room, that a sound out of the ordinary broke your routine.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone was at the front door. After the first two days, the emergency responders stopped searching your building. And they tended to announce themselves, so you knew it wasn't them. "Y/N?" They knew your name. The voice was unfamiliar, but it didn't change anything. You were in no shape for company. "Y/N Y/L/N?" followed another three knocks. You kept your silence. The door knob jingled as something was inserted. Robbers. I'm about to get robbed. Let them. They can have everything. I've got nothing left anyway. The thought crossed your mind that they could be dangerous, but you couldn't care about that. At least death meant a release from the agony.
The door slowly creaked open, and a single pair of footsteps echoed in your kitchen. You didn't move. They got closer, checking your room across the hall. You closed your eyes as you heard them approach Tyler's doorway. "Y/N?" You looked up slowly into two beautiful blue pools disguised as eyes. Your jaw dropped and your throat screamed at you as you tried to speak. "You...You're...um." You swallowed, trying to understand. Gaining some form of composure, you tried again. "You're Captain America..."
"Steve will do just fine."
"Okay, um, Steve. All due respect, Captain...but, um, why are you breaking into my apartment?" A small smile threatened the corner of his lips. "Mostly because you didn't answer the door." That's usually a sign... You nodded. He continued, "Look, I know this isn't the greatest introduction, but I'm desperate. Do you know who Nick Fury is...was?" Racking your brain, the name didn't ring a bell. You shook your head rather than provide a verbal answer. Captain...er...Steve, sighed, clearly disappointed by your answer. "I was afraid of that. Well, he seems to know you. He vanished with everyone when...it...happened. All that was found was this." He handed you a very worn piece of paper containing your full name and current address. You furrowed your brow, shaking your head. "I don't understand."
"Neither do we."
"We?"
"The Avengers. We've looked into everything. Your past, your education, financials, even health records. Bothering you in person was our last option. I apologize for that." You weren't exactly comforted that the Avengers had been looking into your life. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint. All that effort for nothing."
"Maybe. Maybe not. If you would just come with me to the compound, I--"
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"No. I'm not leaving here. I'm sorry Nick Fury gave you guys some bad information or whatever, but I'm not your girl." Captain Rogers tilted his head. "But what if you are? What if you're the key to taking down Thanos? Are you really willing to sit out of that?"
"Completely. I'm sorry Cap--Steve. On any other day I'd be smiling and batting my eyelashes at you while asking for an autograph, but I think it's time for you to go." Steve sighed again, glancing to the framed photo on Tyler's nightstand of the two of you. "Your son?"
"Little brother. But still my legal ward."
"I'm sorry." He started toward the front door solemnly, you following to deadbolt it behind him. He stopped just before the handle, "You're not the only one who lost people, y'know."
"I don't care." He turned to you, shocked. "I don't care that everybody lost somebody. And maybe that makes me a terrible person, but at the moment, I don't have the capacity to care about it or anything else. Tyler was my responsibility, and the only person I had left on this godforsaken earth. I appreciate what you're trying to do, I really do. But my answer, Captain, is no."
"But I--"
"Thank you for stopping by." You shut the door in his face, unable to keep it together any longer. You slid down against the back of the door in a heap, once again drowning in your misery.